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Public Affairs

The Legislative Fellows Program (LFP)

Application Deadline: December 7, 2011

The Legislative Fellows Program (LFP) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. For Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine, LFP is administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS.
Initiated in 2005 under the auspices of the Legislative Education and Practice (LEAP) program, LFP affords up to 55 promising young professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine the opportunity to gain practical experience in, and exposure to, United States government. The knowledge and interest of these young Eurasian professionals in American political processes will be expanded through short-term fellowships in state legislatures and city halls across the United States, as well as on Capitol Hill and in non-profit organizations that address policy issues. In addition, LFP will enable up to 35 Americans to travel outbound on reciprocal visits.

Program Goals

  1. Strengthen understanding of the U.S. legislative process;
  2. Enhance appreciation of the role civil society plays in shaping public policy and holding the government accountable.
  3. Create partnerships between U.S. and institutions in Turkey
  4. Establish a common language to develop practical solutions for shared problems and concerns.


Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for LFP, applicants must:

  • Be a citizen and resident of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, or Ukraine;
  • Be 25 to 35 years of age at the time of application;
  • Be a college graduate (equivalent of a Bachelor's degree or higher);
  • Be proficient in English, as demonstrated by TOEFL scores over 500 (paper test) or its equivalent (for example, university-level study in an English-speaking program or IELTS band 6 or higher). If you have none of these and are selected as a semi-finalist, we will give you an institutional TOEFL exam;
  • Have relevant experience in and commitment to a career in the public sector and/or nonprofit sector in Turkey
  • Have demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills.

Program Dates

The program for spring 2012 is tentatively scheduled for April 1 through May 5, 2012.

If you have any questions:
FIRST, please visit the program web site at apps.americancouncils.org/lfp , where most of your questions will be answered.

SECOND, if you can not find your answer there, please contact us at:
In Turkey Mevlüde Sahillioğlu, Program Coordinator legislativeprogram@gmail.com

In the USA Leslie Ryan, Program Manager lryan@americancouncils.org